Brazil and Argentina...a whole another world

South America opened my eyes. I had not travelled outside the US since 2005 and thoroughly enjoyed the adventure to Brazil and Argentina. Each country was unique in its own way, and I was tempted not to return to the States. The journey was an opportunity to relax after a busy and eventful summer, to discover new landscapes and friends, and to reflect away from the bustle of New York. I wish I had more time to do all three but must cherish what I have.

I loved Rio de Janeiro and will definitely be back to visit. Rio is so fun with many great sights, such as Sugar Loaf Mountain and the old city areas, wonderful beaches, and a most vibrant cultural scene. I would while away my day on the beach, trying my hand at surfing and playing beach football. At night, there are more than just samba shows, but also all kinds of music and shows (including the Portuguese version of Wizard of Oz). I brought back several CDs and they will be relaxing to listen to on the drive. It's unfortunate my trip to Rio was only four days.

Buenos Aires is special in its own way, and I know first hand why it is a European city in the middle of South America. I enjoyed walking through the main sites of the city, which are resplendent with history and culture. Certainly the highlight there was partaking of tango - going to a show and taking part in the Tango Festival. Now I know I must work on my tango this upcoming year. Finally, there's nothing more fun than meeting my friends and colleagues, from would-be exchange law students at UBA to attorneys in Buenos Aires. Our times were too short but all full of wonderful moments.

Beyond Buenos Aires, I ventured down south to the tip of South America and the "end of the world" in Tierra del Fuego. I loved my four days in Ushuaia and visited everything - navigating the Beagle Channel, hiking the Glacier Martial mountain, going to the National Park and the End of the World train, and visiting the prison museum. I also ventured out to partake of time with the locals at cultural events, including a band concert by a local artist and a bus trip to Rio Grande to see grade school students at a famous missionary school. Finally, it's always a sight to see snow in August. One day, I'll be back to the end of the world and giving myself another chance to soar free.

A Russian Game Called "Stupid"

My friend and I played some cards last night. We started with a game both of us knew well - Big 2 or Chinese poker, which is popular in south China and here in the US. A few rounds later, I proposed the Russian game of Durak, translated into "Stupid" or "Fool" in English. I learned Durak while growing up in New York with Russian friends and schoolmates. During middle school, we often played Durak over lunch and enjoyed the fun, the challenge, and the company. There, I became quite good at it and learned all its intricacies. Essentially, Durak is a kind of beating and trump-suit game, but with a lot of strategy and takes much skill to master. I especially like that the game can be both tactical and strategic, and the loser (who is called the fool or Durak, and hence the name of the game - which my friends and I called "Stupid" in translation) is teased for his loss, at least until the next game finishes and there is a new loser.

My friend and I switched to Durak after a few rounds of Big 2 and totally played it for the remainder of the evening. I haven't played it in a while and our games rekindled my love for the game. Do I think it's the best card game out there? Probably. It's hard to think of any that tops Durak, especially in terms of balancing skill, strategy and with multiple people, teamwork. Luck obviously plays a role but the fool is usually a fool and is usually a fool. My friend caught on quickly and played aggressively too. To my embarrassment, I lost several times in a row. Eventually, order was restored at the end and I finished with a flourish. But the memories and company of playing Durak last night remain invigorating.

For rules of Durak: http://www.pagat.com/beating/durak.html